Sentry on W. Oklahoma to become El Rey

The Sentry food store on W. Oklahoma Ave. at S. 52nd St. will close soon and El Rey, a local Hispanic grocery chain, will open a new store there in the spring.

Olivia Villarreal, administrator for El Rey, said the company expects to close on the purchase of the building on March 7 and begin work on renovations.

"We plan to put a half million dollars in renovations," Villarreal said. Work will include repairs to the parking lot, a facelift to the exterior and remodeling inside the store.

The new store, while part of the El Rey chain, will have more traditional American food that the others the El Rey operates, Villarreal said. The aim is to serve the needs of the former Sentry customers, and El Rey will be open to product suggestions from shoppers, she said.

"We're hoping people will continue to come to our store," Villarreal said. El Rey will offer the same services as the Sentry operator, including check cashing, utility payments and Western Union wire transfers.

El Rey hopes to open the new store by April. Other El Rey locations are on S. Cesar Chavez Dr. and on W. Burnham St. at S. 13th St. and at S. 35th St.

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